For the first time in history, one of the countries qualified for Euro football is a country at war. Attacked by Russia in February 2022, Ukraine indeed validated its ticket for the competition last March, by beating Bosnia-Herzegovina then Iceland in the play-offs. Celebrated as a victory in kyiv, this qualification raised a wind of hope in a country ravaged by war, which has not seen its selection on its soil since 2021, but where football has long gone beyond its sporting framework. . Facing Romania, Monday June 17 (3 p.m.), the selection begins the competition.
Three months after its qualification, the Ukrainian selection is therefore one of the 24 nations involved in this Euro 2024. A competition which will inevitably have a particular flavor for the Zbirna, engaged in group E with Belgium, Slovakia and Romania. Especially since this tournament is taking place in Germany, one of the main lands of refuge for Ukrainians, a million of whom have taken up residence there. So, football followed them, whether it was the Ukrainian selection or the flagship clubs, forced to go abroad for international matches.
For two years, Ukraine has in fact “received” in Poland, Germany, the Czech Republic or Slovakia, depending on the availability of its neighbors, while Shakhtar Donetsk plays its Champions League and Europa League matches in Hamburg. Several tens of thousands of spectators attended these matches, for unique moments of brotherhood for the many Ukrainian expatriates.
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“The connection between Ukraine and Germany is strong, it is the second adopted country for Ukrainians since the start of the war after Poland. It is therefore obviously special to play this Euro here”confirms Andrew Todos, Anglo-Ukrainian journalist who covers the Ukrainian selection.
“Shakhtar Donetsk have played a lot in Hamburg in recent months. It is a city with a strong Ukrainian diaspora, as are Munich and Düsseldorf, where Ukraine will play in this Euro. It will be very emotional.”
Andrew Todos, Ukrainian journalistat franceinfo: sport
While waiting to perhaps find Hamburg again – “it would be a beautiful symbol”slips Andrew Todos – in the quarter-finals (if it finishes second in its group and wins its round of 16), Ukraine has landed in Wiesbaden, west of Frankfurt, where helicopters and drones overlook a device reinforced security around the selection.
Thursday June 13, for the only training open to the public, the airwaves were jammed while we could see armed men in the middle of the 5,000 spectators, including 1,000 Ukrainians, happy to be one so far from at their home.
Faces on which the players focused, like former Marseillais Ruslan Malinovski: “It’s very important for us to feel this support. Germany helps us a lot. I hope the Ukrainians will be able to watch our matches”. A point of view shared by the coach, Sergei Rebrov: “It’s a pleasure to feel at home. Everyone is tired. We are fighting for our freedom and football is not the priority, but we want to be represented to continue to maintain hope”.
It is in this difficult context that Ukraine prepared its entry into the Euro, against the Romanians. But that’s nothing compared to the players who are still playing in the national championship (a third of the list of 26). “They will rediscover normal conditions in a country at peace, with full stadiums, they who are used to seeing matches interrupted by bomb threats, in stadiums behind closed doors”recalls Andrew Todos.
“Some stadiums remain closed, like in Odessa and Dnipro, where a missile fell 300 m from the stadium last year. Which shows the danger. We had matches lasting more than four hours because of the interruptions caused by the Russian air raids.”
Andrew Todos, Ukrainian journalistat franceinfo: sport
“Ukraine’s most important partner in this war” according to coach Sergei Rebrov, Germany has reached out to Ukrainian clubs as well as to its young talents not affected by martial law, which prohibits men from leaving the territory. The young hope Dmytro Bogdanov thus made the heyday of Dynamo Dresden.
Meanwhile, national team players are organizing fundraisers to send equipment to soldiers and help victims’ families. A way to be useful off the field, even if football itself is there “to call back to Europe that we are still at war, and that we need help”slips a Shakhtar Donetsk executive to franceinfo: sport.
“It’s surreal to play football while people are fighting. My father-in-law is at the front, he needs equipment but when we call each other, we talk about football, not the war.”
a Shakhtar Donetsk executive on condition of anonymityat franceinfo: sport
He adds : “Germany helps us a lot, but it would be even better if they gave us Taurus missiles! Because while we play football here, loved ones die at the front.”
But Andreï Shevchenko, 2004 Golden Ball winner who became president of the Ukrainian federation, reminded the players of the importance of their performances: “We represent proudly Ukraine and we remind the world what we are going through. Every victory of our country, on and off the field, is crucial for all Ukrainians and especially for those who are defending it at this time.” Entrusted with this heavy mission, Ukraine is moving forward into this Euro with a guarantee: that of its level of play. Because if they have qualified in the play-offs, the Ukrainians have real ambitions.
“The official objective is to get out of the groups, the rest will be a bonus. For me, we can aim for at least the quarter-finals or even the semi-finals, because, supported by this context, we can have an extra boost soul.”
Andrew Todos, Ukrainian journalistat franceinfo: sport
Quarter-finalists in 2021, the Ukrainians can especially count on a golden generation, which is full of talents like Oleksandr Zinchenko (Arsenal), Mykhaïlo Mudryk (Chelsea), Andriy Lunin (Real Madrid) or Artem Dovbyk (Girona). “Half of the team plays at a very high level in Europe, in big clubs. And they’re in good shape!”notes Andrew Todos, recalling that the Ukrainian generation, crowned world champions in U19, is reaching maturity.
Beaten only once in ten matches (1-3 by Poland), the Ukrainians notably remain with a resounding victory in Moldova (4-0) and two draws against Germany in one year (3-3, 0-0 ), without forgetting those against England (1-1) and Italy (0-0) during qualifying last fall.
Enough to give confidence to a team on mission, as Andreï Chevchenko told the Italian daily StampaJune 14: “We are ready to face whatever may happen. We have been forced to play elsewhere, far from our loved ones and our roots, and we have always found a lot of warmth. At the Euro, the team does not won’t feel alone.”